Finger release latch



March 4, 1952 H. TER MEER EI'AL FINGER RELEASE LATCH Filed July 19, 1948 fl lllllllllllllllbU/IIIIIIIIMWIII II r I, i a INVENTOR I {I HERMAN Tea Meek Y 6 2 Win-1AM W. Pagan A'r-ronuevs Patented Mar. 4, 1,952

FINGER RELEASE LATCH Herman Ter Meer and William W. Peterson, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to "National Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corpration of Michigan Application July 19, 1948, Serial N 0. 39,464

1 Claim. (01. 292-219) This invention relates to a finger release latch, adapted to be used for releasably holding doors in closed position, and more particularly in connection with doors of light weight. It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide a very practical, simple, economical and serviceable latch, which engages automatically when a door is closed to hold the door in closed position. This latch is also designed to be disengaged by pushing a movable strike member with the end of a finger to disengage the strike from a part of the latch attached to the door. The door connected part of the latch is designed with a portion to be engaged by the same finger, on outward movement, for swinging the door to open position.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel and improved latch of my invention shown mounted on a door and its casing, fragmentary parts of which are disclosed, and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, substantially on the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

At the outer side of a vertical side I of a door frame or casing the movable or rocking strike is secured. It includes, in its structure, a flat base plate 2, through which screws pass to secure it to the door frame. From the body of the plate spaced apart tongues 3 are struck outwardly. A rocking strike is pivotally mounted on said tongues and extends outwardly therefrom.

The strike comprises two spaced apart, parallel sides 4, integrally connected with which is an outer side 5. The outer side 5 extends, to form an outwardly extending portion, away from the base plate 2 and is return-bent upon itself in a. bend at 6. From the bend 6 it continues as an inner side I for a distance and is then turned at right angles to form a ledge 8. The ledge is located between the ends of the sides 4. The parts of this rocking strike are either integral with each other, or welded or otherwise secured together so as to be, in effect, integral.

A pivot pin 9 passes through the inner end portions of the sides 4 and through the tongues 3 for pivotally or rockingly mounting the strike on the tongues. A torsion spring It, through which the pin 9 passes, has end arms engaging,

one with the base 2 and the other with the inner edge of the ledge 8, for normally turning the strike in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2).

The latch on the door II comprises a plate I2, lying horizontally against the door and secured thereto by screws. Said plate, at the free edge of the door, extends a short distance beyond said door edge and is shaped as shown in Fig. 2, with an inclined ramp, continued as a shoulder I3 generally at right angles to the plane of the plate I2, which shoulder :3 extends inwardl and terminates in an out-turned lip I4, as shown. The lip I4 is so located that, when the door is closed, the ledge 8 passes at the outside of the lip I4 and comes against the shoulder I3.

A finger hood is permanently secured to the plate I2 adjacent the edge portion of the door I I. The hood is of generally U-shape, having spaced apart sides I5 extending outwardly from the plate I2. The sides I5 are permanently and, in effect, integrally connected with said plate, and are joined at their outer ends by an integral connecting portion 66. The connecting portion is located a short distance outwardly beyond the outer curved section 6 of the rocking strike.

When the door is closed, the lip 14 rides against the side 1 until the ledge 8 is reached, whereupon the spring 9 turns said latch clockwise to the retaining position shown in Fig. 2. To disconnect the rocking strike, the finger is inserted at the open side of the hood and pressed against the side i of the strike to turn it counterclockwise, substantially to the dash line position shown in Fig. 2, whereupon on pulling outwardly with the finger against the inner side of the part [6, the door is swung to open position. The finger rides over the ramp and there is no danger of catching a finger nail under the ledge 8.

The structure described is very practical and useful and is economically produced. It also has a very attractive appearance. It is of simple, sturdy structure and one which has a long life of use.

The invention is defined in the appended claim and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

We claim:

In a latch structure for a door hingedly mounted to swing upon a door frame, the combination comprising: a plate adapted to be mounted to said door with one end of said plate projecting beyond an edge of said door; a lip on said one end of said plate; a U-shaped hood immediately adjacent said lip and projecting away from said plate in the direction of movement of said door as said door is opened; the legs of said hood being equally spaced from the center of said lip and arranged one on each side thereof; said hood defining an opening therethrough large enough 2,688,807 3 to receive a human finger; a base member mounted on said door frame; a strike element pivotally mounted on said base member for movement toward and away from said lip; a spring for urging said strike element toward said lip; said strike r element having an outward portion for sub- 0 Number stantially closing the end of said opening ad- 443,35 jacent said lip; a shoulder on said strike element 719,976 for engaging said lip and holding said lip against 1,371,547

movement in the direction of movement of said 10 1 92,17 door when said door is opened.

HERMAN TER MEER.

WILLIAM W. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cattley Dec. 23, 1890 Zesiger Feb. 3, 1903 Burky Mar. 15, 1921 Lippert Nov. 20, 1928 

